Tracking / After Masters

Walter & Group........

From Steve Hollensed:-

Gordy,

 

One reality that the masters journey has revealed to me is how little I know. If and when I am able to achieve that status I will continue to learn, continue to teach and share, and learn how to contribute better. 

 

And on a smaller point, your definition of tracking was not what I would expect and a little bit of a surprise to me. I have envisioned the tracking concept as one that describes the path of the rod tip, not loop form. In my understanding, tracking referred to the deviation, or absence of deviation, of the tip from a straight line path in a lateral sense. Good tracking has little lateral deviation of the tip and bad tracking has substantial lateral deviation. 

 

I tend to think of tracking as the cause and loop leg alignment as the effect. Semantics, again and maybe my interpretation is wrong.  

 

Thanks for all you do. 

 

Steve         

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Steve.....

 

You are absolutely correct in that the term, "TRACKING" has been used to describe the absence or presence of side to side deviation from a straight line path of the rod tip during the cast.  This as opposed to other deviations from SLP such as convexity or concavity of the path of the rod tip.  ( Of course all this assumes a vertical rod plane.)

 

What happens before the stop and RSP (rod straight position) determines what occurs with the fly leg of the loop.  What occurs with the rod leg of the loop can be an alteration due to what happens after the stop and RSP.

 

So mal tracking during the casting stroke can alter the path and shape of the fly leg of the loop.

 

This explains what otherwise is an enigma:   Why does a brief alteration in the path of the rod tip during the stroke  done early place a defect in the loop (tail) out at or near the leader; and when done late places that defect closer to the rod tip.........yet when making a mend which is done after the stop and RSP, exactly the opposite occurs, ie. the alteration in the path of the rod tip done early places the mend way out at a distance whereas when done late, places that mend closer to the rod tip ??????

 

My, "definition" last Tues. was :

Tracking:  Alignment of the rod leg and the fly leg of the loop from side to side.

I am guilty of describing one RESULT of mal tracking.  Not the mechanism which produced it.  As you point out, a more accurate definition is:

TRACKING:  Side to side (lateral) deviation of the rod tip during the casting stroke. 

One reason many tournament distance casters prefer to cast in the vertical plane is that it is much easier to avoid having the rod tip deviate to the right or left during their strokes.

Gordy

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From Nial Logan :

Hi Gordy,

 

Hope all the guys are safe and sound after the storm. You must have packing and evacuation down to a fine art.

Spent some time with Peter Hayes on the weekend and got a report on his visit…… nothing but glowing reports on the hospitality and the conclave.

 

WHEN YOU PASS  -  WHAT NEXT ?

 

In the spirit of keeping the answer short and pithy……..

For both CCI”s and MCI’s……...inspire and  motivate by passing on the knowledge and the passion particularly to the next generation.

 

Regards

Nial

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Nial.    Good, "short answer" !   (I highlighted it)

Peter Hayes, from Tasmania, is a fine caster and excellent innovative instructor.  I learned many new things for my bag of tricks from him.   He's amazing.

Gordy

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